Group IV. Function: Stabilization of shoulder against injury in strong movements, holding head of humerus in socket; abduction; outward rotation and inward rotation of arm. Intrinsic muscles of shoulder girdle: Supraspinatus; infraspinatus and teres minor; subscapularis; coracobrachialis (DC 5304)

Rating levels

• 30% — A severe injury to the deep shoulder muscles that hold your shoulder blade and upper arm bone together and control shoulder movement. These muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and coracobrachialis) are responsible for lifting your arm out to the side, rotating your arm inward and outward, and keeping your shoulder stable during strong movements. At this severity level, you would have significant weakness, pain, or loss of function in these key shoulder stabilizing and rotating muscles that substantially limits your ability to use your arm normally.
• 20% — You have severe damage to the key muscles that stabilize your shoulder joint and control arm movement - specifically the rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) and the coracobrachialis muscle that helps move your arm across your body. This severe level means you have significant difficulty lifting your arm away from your body, rotating your arm inward and outward, and your shoulder is unstable during strong movements because these muscles can't properly hold the ball of your upper arm bone in the shoulder socket.
• 20% — You have moderately severe damage to the small muscles that stabilize your shoulder and control arm movement. These muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and coracobrachialis) help keep your arm bone properly seated in the shoulder socket and allow you to lift your arm away from your body, rotate it inward and outward, and protect against injury during strong movements. The damage significantly limits your shoulder strength and range of motion, but you still have partial function.
• 20% — You have moderately severe damage to the small muscles that stabilize your shoulder and control arm movement. These muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and coracobrachialis) help keep your arm bone properly seated in the shoulder socket and allow you to lift your arm away from your body, rotate it inward and outward, and protect against injury during strong movements. The damage significantly limits your shoulder strength and range of motion, but you still have partial function.
• 10% — Your shoulder muscles that keep your shoulder joint stable and help you lift your arm out to the side, rotate it inward and outward, and hold your upper arm bone in the socket are moderately damaged or weak. This affects the four key muscles around your shoulder blade and upper arm (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and coracobrachialis), causing noticeable limitations in shoulder strength and movement but not severe disability.
• 10% — Your shoulder muscles that keep your shoulder joint stable and help you lift your arm out to the side, rotate it inward and outward, and hold your upper arm bone in the socket are moderately damaged or weak. This affects the four key muscles around your shoulder blade and upper arm (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and coracobrachialis), causing noticeable limitations in shoulder strength and movement but not severe disability.
• 0% — You have slight damage to the small muscles that stabilize your shoulder joint and help move your arm in different directions. These muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and coracobrachialis) keep your shoulder bone properly seated in the socket and control lifting your arm away from your body, rotating it inward and outward, and protecting it during forceful movements. The injury causes minimal impairment to these functions, meaning you may notice some minor weakness or discomfort but can still perform most shoulder movements without significant limitation.
• 0% — You have slight damage to the small muscles that stabilize your shoulder joint and help move your arm in different directions. These muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and coracobrachialis) keep your shoulder bone properly seated in the socket and control lifting your arm away from your body, rotating it inward and outward, and protecting it during forceful movements. The injury causes minimal impairment to these functions, meaning you may notice some minor weakness or discomfort but can still perform most shoulder movements without significant limitation.